Audio Filter Help Needed

[Lobalobo]

Recently, I recorded a piano recital using a consumer camcorder and a lapel mic placed in the body of the piano. This process admirably eliminating air conditioning hiss and audience noise, but there was a negative side effect. On loud or high notes (or on some notes anyway) there is, in addition to the note itself something that sounds like a feedback buzz (but there was no feedback) or perhaps the buzz is better described as a sound like one that occurs when speakers are played at a volume beyond the speakers' capacity, a chattering almost (but the sound persists at any volume of playback and is not a product of clipping as the recording was not clipped).

My hope is that VideoStudio includes an audio filter that will take this buzz out the same way it is said some filters take out background hiss. Do I have any hope here? If so, what filter should I use? Thanks in advance.

[asik1]

Hi, you better export your sound and fiddle with it in a proper sound SW like freeware audacity.

[Lobalobo]

Thanks, and I'll consider this, but software such as Audacity is currently beyond my ken. You don't think anything within VideoStudio would work? I'm particularly worried about re-syncing the video and audio after an export and an import (though perhaps I shouldn't).

[asik1]

Only you know the severity of the buzz, VS is not sound editor and has it's limitations.
So... just try until you think its OK.

[Hartmann]

An acoustic piano is a vibrating machine. When a note is struck it vibrates and the sound board amplifies the vibration to create the sound we hear. If the microphone was placed anywhere "on" the piano (and not suspended using a microphone stand from the floor) the microphone will vibrate at certain frequencies. The buzz you hear is the mic physically vibrating on the piano frame. The vibration is usually louder than the note played but only on certain frequencies. There is not much you can do to eliminate it because it's embedded in the recording along with the tone. Even using a notch filter will filter out the note as well as the buzz. Next time, suspend the microphone so it doesn't physically touch the piano. BTW an acoustic guitar causes the same problem.

[Terfyn]

The point made by Hartmaan is very valid and, probably, the primary cause of your problem. You will need to physically isolate the microphone from the piano and, don't forget, even a mic stand can transfer unwanted vibrations to a microphone. First use a decent mic, lapel mics are OK for voiceovers. Second fix it to a mic stand with a flexible (rubber-band) mount and third put some underlay under the mic stand feet.

Thanks, and I'll consider this, but software such as Audacity is currently beyond my ken. You don't think anything within VideoStudio would work? I'm particularly worried about re-syncing the video and audio after an export and an import (though perhaps I shouldn't).

Audacity is a very useful programme, especially as it is free!! I downloaded an Audacity Instruction Manual as a .pdf file and this helps a lot. Audacity will record so you may consider a USB microphone directly into your PC (example Behringer C-1U)

Re-syncing the audio and video is not too difficult. Say you have a high quality independent audio recording from your PC or audio recorder, you will also have an audio recording from your camera, it may be a bit rough but all you need to do is to put both recordings on audio tracks in VideoStudio, line up the good track with the camera audio and then mute the camera audio.